Personal Writing

One of the things I don't seem to understand when it comes to poetry is why it is assumed they are about personal experiences.
For myself, I have only ever written one deeply personal piece of poetry. It has never been read by anyone because it is just that: personal. When I write poetry, I write about emotion, feeling, experience; but not my own. I don't feel the desire to do that.

The same comes with my fiction. I don't add personal details, try to insert myself into a story to express what I feel. If I do that, it's in my own personal journals, where no one will see them.

To me, allowing strangers to read highly personal information - even in the form of creative writing - feels violating. It would be like spilling my life story to someone I just met on the subway; illogical and unecessary.

But I also understand that other people see this differently. Poetry, for them, is about personal emotion.

I guess what I'm getting at in this, is that I'm tired of the assumption. There are several places I used to publish poetry that I no longer do so due to this.

Though, I have to say with a smile, if these pieces of poetry were all personal, then I'd have a lot more issues - both legally and emotionally - than I do now! I know my poetry isn't lighthearted and pleasant to read!

Well, this is my weekend-rant. Time to get back to writing, and fighting off the procrastination bunnies.